Welcome to Hell’s Half Acre
Nevada County, California
Hell’s
Half Acre is a special bit of botanical heaven in the Sierra Nevada
foothills where acres of brilliant wildflowers bloom in
spring. Surrounded by pine and oak forest, Hell’s Half Acre
is a distinctive open habitat sometimes called a “Mehrten
meadow”. The forest opening is formed by shallow soils
underlain by a hard volcanic mudflow, or lahar. Geologists call this a
Mehrten Formation. Due to the cement-like layer and gentle slopes,
rainfall collects in shallow depressions before slowly draining off or
evaporating. Showy, mostly native, annual plants thrive with
little competition from invasive species.
Saving a Mehrten Meadow
In the spring of 1997 the
re-zoning and impending development of the 360-acre Kenny Ranch was
announced. About 50 acres of the Ranch has been
known as “Hell’s Half Acre” from its use as a hobo camp, illegal dump,
and, possibly, from its rocky, desert-like landscape. Kenny Ranch, on
the western edge of the town of Grass Valley, is prime open land
planned for commercial and residential development. In reaction to the
news about the future of Kenny Ranch, California Native Plant Society
members and concerned neighbors campaigned to save the 27-acre parcel
south of Rough and Ready Highway from destruction.
The property is privately owned
and the future of this Mehrten meadow is still very
uncertain. Redbud Chapter, CNPS, and other friends of Hell’s Half Acre
envision a botanical preserve here, accessible to wildflower lovers of
all ages and abilities.
The Wildflowers
The following is a
list of selected spring-flowering plants from over 100 speciesobserved
by botanists. The largest local populations of
two rare native species are found at Hells Half Acre: Sanborn’s Onion Allium
sanbornii var. sanbornii, and
Pratten’s Buckwheat, Eriogonum prattenianum var.
prattenianum. Both of these plants flower in June.
In addition, at least ten species of plants typical of vernal pools
grow here at 2,600 feet on volcanic soils, making Hell’s Half Acre a
Nevada County treasure.
Native species are shown in bold print,
exotic species in normal print.
(Notes by Karen Callahan, May 12, 2007)
ANACARDIACEAE(Sumac
or Cashew Family)
- Toxicodendron diversilobum
Poison Oak
APIACEAE (Carrot Family)
- Ammi visnaga
Bishop's Weed
- Perideridia bolanderi ssp.
involucrata Yampah
- Sanicula tuberosa
Tuberous Sanicle
- Tauschia hartwegii
Hartweg’s Tauschia
ASCLEPIADACEAE (Milkweed Family)
- Asclepias cordifolia
Purple Milkweed
ASTERACEAE (Aster Family)
- Achyrachaena mollis
Blow Wives
- Agoseris heterophylla
Annual Agoseris
- Agoseris grandiflora
Large Flowered Agoseris
- Calycadenia truncata
Rosin Weed
- Camomilla suaveolens
Pineapple Weed
- Cirsium occidentale
var. venustum Red or Venus Thistle
- Erigeron strigosus
Prairie Fleabane
- Filago gallica Fluffweed
- Hypochaeris glabra Smooth Cat's
Ear
- Madia exigua
Threadstem Tarweed
- Madia rammii
(type locality—Nevada City) Ramm's Madia
- Madia elegans
Common Madia
- Micropus californicus
Slender Cottonweed
- Psilocarphus
brevissimus var. brevissimus Dwarf
Woolly Marbles
- Rigiopappus leptocladus
Wireweed
- Solidago californica
California Goldenrod
- Tragopogon dubius Yellow Salsify
- Tragopogon porrifolius Purple
Salsify
- Uropappus lindleyi
Silver Puffs
BORAGINACEAE (Borage family)
- Cryptantha affinis
Side-grooved Cryptantha
- Pectocarya pusilla
Little Pectocarya
- Plagiobothrys greenei Greene’s
Popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys stipitata
v. micrantha
- Plagiobothrys scriptus Scribe
Popcornflower
- Plagiobothrys tenellus
Pacific Popcorn Flower
BRASSICACEAE (Mustard Family)
- Draba verna
Whitlow Grass
- Lepidium nitidum
Peppergrass
- Streptanthus tortuosus
Mountain Jewelflower
- Thysanocarpus curvipes
Fringepod
CAMPANULACEAE (Bellflower Family)
- Githopsis specularoides
Blue Cups
CAPRIFOLIACEAE (Honeysuckle Family)
- Lonicera
hispidula var. vacillans Hairy
Honeysuckle
- Lonicera interrupta
Chaparral Honeysuckle
- Symphoricarpos albus var.
laevigatus Common Snowberry
CARYOPHYLLACEAE (Pink Family)
- Minuartia douglasii
Douglas’ Sandwort
- Petrorhagia prolifera Wild
Carnation
- Spergularia rubra Ruby Sand
Spurry
CONVOLVULACEAE (Morning-glory Family)
- Calystegia occidentalis ssp.
occidentalis Western Morning-glory
CRASSULACEAE (Stonecrop Family)
- Crassula connata
Pygmy Weed
- Parvisedum pumilum Sierra
Stonecrop
CUCURBITACEAE (Gourd Family)
- Marah watsonii
Wild Cucumber, Manroot
ERICACEAE (Heath Family)
- Arctostaphylos viscida
Whiteleaf Manzanita
- Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp
mewukka Indian Manzanita
FABACEAE (Pea Family)
- Cytisus scoparius Scotch Broom
- Lathyrus latifolius Perennial
Sweet Pea
- Lotus purshianus
Spanish Lotus
- Lupinus bicolor
Miniature Lupine
- Lupinus nanus
Sky or Douglas Lupine
- Pickeringia montana
Chaparral Pea
- Trifolium ciliolatum
tree clover
- Trifolium depauperatum
Sack Clover, Cowbag Clover
- Trifolium dubium Little Hop
Clover
- Trifolium glomeratum Maiden
Clover
- Trifolium pratense Red Clover
- Trifolium repens White Clover
- Trifolium variegatum
White-tipped clover
- Trifolium wildenovii
Tomcat Clover (formerly Trifolium tridentatum)
- Vicia americana var. truncata
American vetch
- Vicia sativa
Spring Vetch
FAGACEAE (Oak Family)
- Quercus douglasii Blue
Oak
- Quercus garryana var. breweri
Shin Oak, Brewer’s white oak
- Quercus kelloggii Black
Oak
- Quercus lobata
Valley Oak
- Quercus wislizenii Interior
Live Oak
- Quercus chrysolepis Canyon
Live Oak
GENTIANACEAE (Gentian Family)
- Centaurium venustum
Canchalagua
GERANIACEAE (Geranium Family)
- Erodium cicutarium
Red-stemmed Filaree
HYDROPHYLLACEAE (Waterleaf Family)
- Eriodictyon californicum
Yerba Santa
IRIDACEAE (Iris Family)
- Iris hartwegii Hartweg’s
Iris
JUNCACEAE (Rush family)
- Juncus balticus Baltic
Rush
- Juncus bufonius Toad
Rush
- Juncus capitatus Leafybract
Dwarf Rush
- Juncus effusus Smooth
Rush
- Juncus tenuis Slender
Rush
- Juncus uncialis Moss
Rush
ISOETACEAE (Quillwort family)
- Isoetes orcuttii
Orcutt’s Quillwort
LAMIACEAE (Mint Family)
- Monardella lanceolata
Mustang Mint
- Salvia sonomensis
Creeping Sage
- Scutellaria tuberosa
Skullcap
- Trichostoma oblongum
Mountain bluecurls
- Trichostoma simulatum
Siskiyou bluecurls
LILIACEAE (Lily Family)
- Allium amplectens
Paper Onion
- Allium sanbornii
Sanborn's Onion (CNPS sensitive species)
- Brodiaea elegans
Harvest Brodiaea
- Brodiaea purdyi
Purdy’s Brodiaea
- Calochortus monophyllus
Yellow Star Tulip
- Chlorogalum pomeridianum
Common Soap Plant
- Dichelostemma capitatum
Blue Dicks
- Fritillaria micrantha
Brown Bells
- Fritillaria recurva
Scarlet Fritillary
- Lilium humboldtii ssp.
humboldtii Humboldt Lily (CNPS sensitive
species)
- Triteleia hyacinthina
White Brodiaea
- Triteleia ixioides
Pretty Face
- Zigadenus venenosus Death
Camas
LIMNANTHACEAE (Meadowfoam Family)
- Limnanthes alba
White Meadowfoam
MALVACEAE (Mallow Family)
- Sidalcea hartwegii
Hartweg’s Sidalcea
- Sidalcea malvaeflora
Checkerbloom
ONAGRACEAE (Evening primrose family)
- Clarkia gracilis
Graceful Clarkia
- Clarkia purpurea ssp.
quadrivulnera Winecup Clarkia
- Clarkia rhomboidea
Diamond Clarkia
- Clarkia williamsonii
Williamson’s Clarkia
- Epilobium brachycarpum Panicled
Willowherb
- Epilobium ciliatum Ciliate
Willowherb
PINACEAE (Pine Family)
- Pinus lambertiana
Sugar Pine
- Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa
Pine
- Pinus sabiniana
Grey Pine, Foothills Pine
- Pseudotsuga menziesii
Douglas Fir
PLANTAGINACEAE (Plantain Family)
- Plantago erecta
California Plantain
POLEMONIACEAE (Phlox Family)
- Linanthus liniflorus
Flax-flowered Linanthus
- Navarretia divaricata Mountain
Navarretia
- Navarretia intertexta
Needleleaf Navarretia
- Phlox gracilis
Slender Phlox
POLYGALACEAE (Milkwort Family)
- Polygala cornuta var.
cornuta Sierra
Milkwort
POLYGONACEAE (Buckwheat family)
- Chorizanthe polygonoides
Knotted Spineflower
- Eriogonum prattenianum var.
prattenianum Pratten’s Buckwheat
Type locality: Nevada City, collected by Henry Pratten in 1851.
Uncommon shrub.
- Polygonum californicum
California Knotweed
- Polygonum parryi
Parry’s Knotweed
- Polygonum persicaria
Lady's Thumb
PORTULACACEAE (Purslane Family)
- Claytonia perfoliata ssp.
perfoliata miner’s
lettuce
PRIMULACEAE
- Dodecatheon hendersonii
Henderson’s Shooting Star
PTERIDACEAE (Brake Family)
- Pentagramma triangularis
Goldback Fern
RANUNCULACEAE (Buttercup Family)
- Delphinium gracilentum
Pine Forest Larkspur
- Delphinium patens
Spreading Larkspur
- Thalictrium fendleri var.
polycarpum Many Fruited Meadow Rue
RHAMNACEAE (Buckthorn Family)
- Ceanothus cuneatus
Buckbrush
- Ceanothus integerrimus
Deerbrush
- Ceanothus lemmonii Lemmon’s
Ceanothus
- Rhamnus tomentella
Hairy Coffeeberry (formerly a var. of R. californica)
- Rhamnus ilicifolia
Hollyleaf Redberry
- Rhamnus rubra
Sierra Coffeeberry
ROSACEAE (Rose Family)
- Chamaebatia foliolosa
Mountain Misery
- Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon, California Holly
- Horkelia tridentata
Three-toothed Horkelia
- Prunus subcordata
Sierra Plum
- Rosa canina Dog Rose
- Rubus discolor Himalayan
Blackberry
RUBIACEAE (Madder family)
- Galium aparine Goosegrass
- Galium parisiense Wall Bedstraw
- Galium porrigens var.
tenue Climbing
Bedstraw
SAXIFRAGACEAE (Saxifrage family)
- Lithophragma parviflorum Prairie
Star
- Saxifraga californica
California Saxifrage
SCROPHULARIACEAE (Figwort family)
- Antirrhinum cornutum
Spurred Snapdragon
- Castilleja lineariloba
Valley Tassels
- Collinsia parviflora
Maiden blue-eyed Mary
- Collinsia sparsiflora
Spinster’s blue-eyed Mary
- Gratiola ebracteata
Hedge Hyssop
- Mimulus angustatus
Pansy Monkeyflower
- Mimulus guttatus
Seep-spring Monkeyflower
- Mimulus layneae
Layne’s Monkeyflower
- Mimulus pulsiferae
Candelabra Monkeyflower
- Mimulus torreyi
Torrey’s Monkeyflower
- Penstemon
heterophyllus Foothills Penstemon
- Triphysaria erianthus
Johnny Tuck, Butter & Egg
VIOLACEAE (Violet family)
- Viola purpurea ssp. purpurea
Mountain Violet
- Viola purpurea ssp.
quercetorum (formerly V.
quercetorum) Mountain Violet
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